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The preferred bidder to coordinate community health and social care services in Bath and North East Somerset has been announced by the local Clinical Commissioning Group and Council as Virgin Care.

The decision about preferred bidder follows a long and detailed process by B&NES Clinical Commissioning Group and B&NES Council called your care, your way in which they asked local people what was important to them about their health and social care.

Local people, GPs, councillors and commissioners worked together to choose their preferred bidder. To read the announcement from the Commissioners click here and an associated FAQ click here

Services will continue without change until the new contract commences on April 1 2017. More information about changes in provider and service model will become clear in November when Virgin and commissioners will have completed their negotiations.

Sirona was one of five organisations which formed a partnership known as LiNK to put in a bid for the contract. This was formed Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP), B&NES Enhanced Medical Services Plus (BEMS+), Dorothy House Hospice Care (DHHC), Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH) and Sirona care & health CIC (Sirona). These organisations already provide high quality services across Bath & North East Somerset.

Commissioners will now be working intensively with Virgin Care negotiating the detail of the arrangements; they will decide in November whether they award a contract to Virgin Care. Commissioners reserve the right to recommence discussions with LiNK in the event they are unable to reach agreement with Virgin Care.

Dr Andrew Smith, Chief Executive of BEMS+ who chairs LiNK’s Chief Executive Group, said: “This is a very disappointing result for the LiNK team, who have worked incredibly hard on the bid and with such passion and enthusiasm. We are extremely grateful to everyone involved for all their support and commitment.

“We will now be taking some time for reflection following feedback discussions with commissioners.”